About Darjeeling
Darjeeling Hill Station is in the State of West Bengal in India and is part of the Lesser Himalayas at an average elevation of more than 2000 meters.
Toy Train at Darjeeling, India
This Hill Station was developed by the British during the 19th century, which was part of Sikkim and Nepal during those days. If you plan to travel to India as a tourist, this hill station is ideal.
This hill station is famous for the Geo Patented black tea called Darjeeling Tea. There were many tea estates in those days. Some innovative tea planters tried different fermentation techniques, which resulted in a special black tea called Darjeeling Tea.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, along with Nilgiri Mountain Railway NMR and Kalka Shimla Railway, is called the Mountain Railways of India. These three railway networks together form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site spread across three different regions of India. The railway system uses 60 cm wide, narrow gauge tracks, and this line was opened on 4th April 1881. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has some of the steepest tracks in the world. It climbs from 400 feet at Siliguri to 7,407 feet (or 2258 m) at Ghum or Ghoom, India’s highest railway station.
From Ghum, the Himalayan Railway descends about 182.9 meters or about 1,000 feet to Darjeeling. Ghum is six kilometers from Darjeeling.
Ghum Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, was established at Ghum in 1875.
The Hill Station, part of the Himalayan mountain ranges, is rich in flora and fauna. India’s best high-altitude zoo is situated here.
How to Reach Darjeeling Hill Station?
‘New Jalpaiguri’ railway station connects the downtown with the hill station by the Darjeeling mountain railway.
This hill station is accessible by National Highway No. 55 from Siliguri, which is 50-plus kilometers away.
During the monsoon season, road and railway services may be disrupted due to heavy landslides.
Bagdogra Airport is the nearest one, 90 kilometers away. Kolkata International Airport is around 700 kilometers away, while Patna Airport is 500 kilometers away.
Also, a ropeway connects the hill station with the bottom of town.